Redemption (8 page)

The second quickly followed, along with a gasp.

“Bryan? What are you doing here?” she asked, sitting up suddenly.

She hastily wiped smudged mascara from beneath her eyes. He wished she’d left it alone; somehow, it made her even more endearing.

What am I thinking?

He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant and casual. “I figured I’d say goodbye, kid.”

“Kid,” she smirked. “I’ll be thirty in a few days; I haven’t been a
kid
in a long time.”

So I’ve noticed.

“Yeah, well.” Lame comeback.

She reclined against the pillow and pulled her knees to her chest. “I can’t help that I’m a few years younger than you, old man.”

He laughed. “You always did like to follow us around. I remember that you and your parents used to visit for a few weeks each summer. Miranda always said -” His voice cracked. He couldn’t finish the sentence.

Cassidy smiled warmly and pushed her bangs to the side. “You guys were the coolest. I just wanted to do whatever you were doing.”

Her eyes bore into him, seeing deeper than he wanted. They were so blue. Against his chest, the stone burned. Under his skin, his body pulsed with the need for a drink, for distance. Anything to bring on the numbness.

“I’m gonna go,” Bryan said, standing.

She leaned forward and put a hand on his arm to stop him. “Wait.” Much to her surprise - and she suspected from the way he jumped at her touch, his own - he did. “Listen, Carrie’s busy with the wedding. You’re here, I’m here. Why don’t we hang a bit? You can keep me out of her hair.”

“Oh, tagging along again?” he asked, smirking.

“Why not? I’m good at it.” She relaxed when he sat back down beside her. “So, did she con you into this dinner cruise thing?”

“You know about that?”

“Yeah. She’s always got these big ideas, you know? I think my aunt and uncle also feel like they need to do something since my parents,” she paused and swallowed. “It should be a nice way to celebrate thirty, though.” Cassidy focused those blue eyes on him. “So, you coming?”

Unfortunately. Against my will.

“Yes.” Bryan wondered why it mattered to him that she not be disappointed. She wasn’t anything special to him.

“Excellent.” She smiled again. “Then it’s a date.”

Bryan raised his eyebrows and gave her a look.

“Okay, maybe not a
date
, exactly,” she continued, nervous again, “but we’ll have fun.”

Those words again.

“If you say so, kid,” he said, standing. “I’m going this time. I need Nick to take me to get a rental car.”

“Oh, I could do that,” Cassidy offered. “If you don’t mind going with a tag-along kid, that is.”

“You sure? I don’t want to impose.”

“Bryan,” she began, “I was asleep when you came up here. It’s not exactly like I was in the middle of anything earth-shatteringly important. I can spare some time. Besides, if I know my cousin, she’s got a list of things she
needs
Nick to get done.”

He held up a piece of paper. “Like the one she gave me?” He smiled. It was easier this time, and more genuine.

“Probably,” she agreed. Cassidy walked across the room to the mirror. “Give me a few minutes to get my bag and fix my hair. You can wait here or go back by Nick and Carrie, whatever you want.” She looked at him over her shoulder.

“I think I’ll stay up here, if you don’t mind.”

She didn’t. “Okay.”

He studied her while she fussed with her brush, arranging her hair and neatly scooping it into a ponytail. Every movement seemed delicate; her hands gracefully moving through each strand. Bryan remembered her as cute but not beautiful, not like the woman he was looking at now. Had she been a late bloomer, or had he just been that oblivious when they were younger? He allowed his eyes to study her figure, taking note of the way the lines of her body curved in places he remembered being straight.

Like a kid.

Little Cassidy Baker was most definitely
not
a kid anymore.

She caught him staring and tilted her head to the side, placing one hand on her hip. “Yes? I know I have that whole post-sleep look right now, but is it so amusing that you have to stare?”

What Bryan wanted to say was that he was watching her because she took his breath away, because, for some strange reason, every move of hers calmed him, because he found himself wondering what it would feel like to have her fingers in his hair, her hands on him. Instead he smiled his most charming smile.

“When did you grow up, Cassidy Baker?” he asked.

“It was a natural progression, I assure you.” She smiled. It was radiant.

“And now you’re turning thirty,” he said.

Cassidy shrugged. “Actually, I won’t be too sad to see my twenties go. I’m hoping my thirties are ten better years.”

“Every decade has it’s own share of crap,” Bryan replied sourly. Whatever mood worked to struggle to the surface for air was gone. Swallowed by his own blackness. “You ready to go?”

“I’m ready,” she said, nodding and picking up her coat.

She didn’t seem to notice the change in him, which suited Bryan just fine. He didn’t need to entertain anything that might want to claw its way from the depths of his soul, anyway. He wasn’t here to make new friends or connect with old pseudo-friends. He was here for a job. Still, walking beside her, he couldn’t help but notice how much easier it was to breathe.

When they came down the stairs together, both Carrie and Nick shared the same expression of surprise and trepidation. Bryan expected the surprise. It was the other half of the look that had him wondering if maybe he hadn’t done as good a job at looking all put back together as he thought. Most of it was coming from Nick, and he got a strong sense of protectiveness behind the wary look in his eyes.

Protect her from what? From me?

Bryan zipped his coat. “Cassidy is going to take me to get a car,” he announced, a bit more abruptly than he intended.

She caught the change in his voice and gave him a quizzical look. It’s not like they were doing anything wrong. Turning to Carrie she said, “You know you have a list. I’ll make sure Bryan gets back to his hotel in one piece.” She wrapped her scarf around her neck and took her mittens out of her pocket.

Carrie smiled, and Cassidy noticed a slight hint of conspiracy in the way her lips curved upward. “Well, all right. Have a fun time.”

Bryan and Cassidy nodded in unison before making eye contact and a beeline for the front door.

“That was weird,” Cassidy said, once the door closed behind them.

“I don’t think they trust me to be alone with you,” Bryan explained, amused.

Cassidy leaned over and bumped his arm, a tiny bit playful, a tiny bit flirtatious. “Maybe it’s that they don’t trust
me
with
you
.” She laughed.

“You’re probably right. I’m sure they’re just afraid you’ll corrupt my good character and lead me astray.”

“That’s got to be it,” she said and giggled.

They grinned at each other, and Bryan found himself feeling lighter. It wasn’t the same as the way Mara made him feel, but it still made him want more. After just these few minutes, he had to admit that he liked being near Cassidy. She was kind, she was someone good, and she was gorgeous. He wondered, though, why the stone around his neck seemed to burn hotter and grow heavier with each minute he spent near her. Whether it was his imagination or his guilt, he realized he didn’t care.

 

Bastion watched them get into Cassidy’s car and pull out of the driveway. In the time it took to blink an eye, he flashed from the roof to the backseat of the car, unseen. Mara wasn’t going to like this, and judging from the way Bryan kept reaching for the pendant around his neck, it was pretty obvious that her talisman was punishing him for his actions.

He had to be ready; if the effects of the charm weren’t enough, she’d materialize. He wasn’t sure the mortal could survive any more of her poison. His soul was barely a flicker as it was.

Cassidy looked in the rearview mirror and met Bastion’s eyes. Could she sense him? It wasn’t unusual for mortals such as she to pick up on the supernatural vibrations emanating from him. But to see him? They locked their gaze for a few moments, she winked almost imperceptibly, and returned her full attention to the road.

She knew. Bastion was startled.

A second angel appeared next to him, one he didn’t recognize. He looked powerful enough, most likely a fellow Protector. Though he wore his hair long and looked more hippie than heavenly, Bastion suspected that the angel’s appearance was deceiving. He could do damage when necessary.

“She sees me all the time,” the angel said casually. “Notice the stone around her neck - Aventurine. She’s all about calm and balance; she’ll be good for your guy.” He winked. “But you already knew that, didn’t you? Name’s Luscid, by the way. You can call me Lu.”

The two angels shook hands.

“Bastion. Protector or Watcher?” he asked.

“Protector,” Luscid answered. “Though, since the enemy doesn’t have anyone assigned to her, most of the time I feel more like a Watcher. Elsewhere, the danger is growing, and the Maker is sending us in force. There’s even talk of Warriors.”

Bastion nodded. He’d suspected they might be called upon. “Mara is involved in keeping Bryan, the mortal man, away from the Circle,” he explained. “I’m familiar with her; it’ll be difficult to operate outside of her knowledge.” He indicated the pendant around Bryan’s neck with a nod. “She charms them; it helps her to maintain control and acts like a mortal bugging device. His is Tiger’s Eye.”

“That’s not good,” Luscid grunted. “Under her influence, it will keep his mind foggy, confused, definitely lacking clarity. I’ve heard of Mara’s methods. The Demon of Apathy.” He raised his voice in case she was listening. “What a waste of what she could’ve been!”

“You have no idea,” Bastion mumbled. “So, you’re here to make sure the girl’s place in the Circle is secure?”

Luscid reclined back in his seat, arms stretched above him. “Yes, and so far it’s a very easy assignment, like I said. I suppose we’ll see if that changes once Mara hears about her.” His green eyes glowed. “Things could get a whole lot more interesting.”

“You have no idea,” Bastion repeated. He was beginning to like being around this other angel. He felt a kinship with him and immediately knew they’d make a good team. Maybe it was the same for Vizuhn and Feyth. He nodded toward Cassidy. “So, she’s aware of you?”

“Always has been, ever since she was a kid. I suppose it has to do with her openness to the Maker and His will for her life. She’s strong in her faith; His peace surrounds her.”

“That’s good,” Bastion began, “because right now, Bryan needs all the peace he can get.”

T
hey walked through the parking lot toward the door of the rental agency. Since leaving Carrie’s house, Cassidy talked nonstop to him, but the words weren’t really registering in his mind. Though he saw her mouth moving, Bryan found it difficult to focus on what she was saying. When he did, he started thinking things he was sure he shouldn’t be thinking about Cassidy Baker. Like how he’d like to silence those lips with a kiss.

She turned and looked at him expectantly.

“Well?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“Where is your head, Bryan? You didn’t hear a thing I just said.”

“Sorry,” he began, “tell me again.”

“No, I will not.” She laughed. “Now you’ll just have to wonder.”

He frowned. “Just tell me. I promise I’ll pay more attention.”

“Nope. Now, you need to see a man about a car. I’ll just wait over here.” She smiled at him and pointed to a chair by the window.

She needed to stop doing that, the smiling. It was messing with him in ways he knew he couldn’t...shouldn’t let it.

“Good afternoon, what can I do for you?” the man behind the counter asked.

Bryan leaned on the counter so he could still see Cassidy. “What do you have that’s four-wheel-drive?” he asked.

“Well, we’ve got a few SUV’s to choose from. What did you have in mind?”

He could have some fun with this. “Any Jeeps?” he asked, a wicked gleam in his eye.

A short while later, he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a dark green, four-door Jeep Wrangler. It was, by far, not the cheapest thing he could’ve rented. And he had to admit he felt mildly better when he thought of the irritation he hoped he’d cause Derek Gainnes by driving the same vehicle he owned.

He opened the window, and Cassidy leaned against door. “So, what’s next on your agenda? Back to the hotel?” She wrinkled her nose at him. “Just gonna hang out there alone?”

“You could come,” Bryan said, without hesitation.

Cassidy smiled. “Okay. I’ll follow you.”

“See you there.” Bryan put up the window. He paused before putting the Jeep into drive. “What the heck are you doing, taking her to your hotel room?” he asked himself.

She beeped impatiently behind him.

Bryan pulled out of the lot, hoping he wasn’t making a huge mistake.